Millwall boss: 'We answered a lot of questions with Sheffield United win'

NEIL Harris insisted he wouldn’t be “rigid” in which formation he plays – and believes he now has the players to be adaptable.

Harris switched to 3-5-2 at half-time against Sheffield United on Saturday, and it paid off as right wing-back Mahlon Romeo scored to make it 2-1 in the second half before Jake Cooper’s late clincher.

The result ended a run of six games without a win.

“It’s three points we’ve really craved. I was delighted with the character shown in the second half by my players after a difficult 15, 20 minutes leading up to half-time,” Harris said.

“Last time we played three at the back was Sheffield United away last year. I like playing 4-4-2, I believe it’s what the club is built on.

“But I’ve always said I won’t be rigid, I won’t be dictated to play that system. I’ll change if I feel it’s necessary, if I feel I’ve got the players to be able to do it. I think I’ve got players in my team at the moment to play different systems.

“We’ve answered a lot of questions because we’ve not been on a great run of form. Every game is difficult and everyone in and around the bottom six or seven is finding it difficult to get points this year.

“Twelve days ago we played Hull at home and there was a little bit of disappointment in the performance from the terraces. It gave everyone a little bit of a reality check, how far we’ve come in two years.

“Last week against Fulham we played against a team that were in the play-off semi-finals last season and were worth millions and millions of pounds, and we ran all over the top of them second half. We didn’t quite get the result, we were undone by a player who threw himself on the floor and conned the referee.

“We came off the pitch and I was buzzing for the players and the fans, it was a great advert for us that three-and-a-half thousand Millwall fans came and got behind their team and gave a standing ovation to a team that had just got beaten. It gave me the belief that we’re not far away at all. We’re in every game, we just have to start scoring more goals.

“Then we come up against a team that’s third in the league [Sheffield United] with quality all over and we score three goals. There was an ovation from the fans at the end. It showed what we’re all about and that’s why I’m so pleased.

“I thought it was a great advert for English football, it was a real feisty, fast-tempo, aggressive game of football. But it was fair as well. It was everything we expect in our English game. There was some real quality as well from both teams.

“Millwall were involved so there’s going to be tackles, a lot of running, a lack of quality at times, we know that. Sheffield United have got themselves into a really good position and deserve to be where they are, they have scored a lot of goals and outplayed so many clubs in this division. As far as they have come [means] that’s a scalp for us.